Martin Goes to London
by GriffinStar
Summary: An alternate ending to series 4 where Martin does leave Portwenn as planned to return to surgery at Imperial in London.


**Disclaimer: Doc Martin is the property of ****Buffalo**** Pictures. I own nothing.**

**MARTIN GOES TO ****LONDON**** – AN ALTERNATIVE ENDING TO SERIES 4**

Martin Ellingham looked round his flat in Kensington – well the one he was renting anyhow. He had been here over three weeks now, but still hadn't got round to unpacking all of the boxes, so it looked cluttered and untidy – very unusual for Martin. He looked out of the window – he saw traffic, office blocks, buildings, roads – he sighed and thought of wind swept cliffs, blue sea and sky, with a certain school building …. he remembered when he had felt like this before – homesick - when he had returned to school after spending the holidays in Cornwall with Auntie Joan.

"For God's sake, pull yourself together man," he told himself. "You're not 10 years old any more."

He paced round the flat a few times, then pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket. He called Louisa's number, he had her on speed dial. After a few rings, it changed to the engaged tone. With an exasperated sigh, he tried the number again. This time, he got the messaging service – apparently the phone was now switched off.

He left a message, knowing that there would be no reply.

"Louisa, it's Martin. I just wanted to check you're OK, no news or anything. Please call me back, this is the third message I've left."

Why wouldn't she take his calls? She was now a week overdue, and he couldn't stop thinking about what she might be going through. At times his mind raced ahead thinking all the worst thoughts – painful labour going on for hours and hours while she was all by herself, emergency caesarian, no one with her…..

Martin made another call on his mobile – this time he got through to Joan.

"Auntie Joan, how are you?" asked Martin

"I'm fine Marty, same as this morning when you rang actually, and no, I haven't seen Louisa, or heard anything. There was no one at her house when I called by, and no one has heard anything. I'll try calling by again as soon as I get the chance," offered Joan.

"Thanks. You'll let me know as soon as….."

"Yes as soon as I know anything at all, I'll call you straight away. Good Night Martin."

The following morning Martin walked into his secretary's office at Imperial. Mrs James was the model of efficiency. She looked business like and professional, dressed in her suit. Nothing like Pauline at all. Certainly no screen saver picture of her boyfriend.

"Any personal calls, especially from Mrs Norton or Miss Glasson, are to be put through to me immediately, is that clear?" he barked at her.

"Yes Mr Ellingham, of course." she replied, as she had every morning that week to the same request. It didn't faze her that Martin was abrupt and rude, she'd worked for consultants for years, that's how they all were.

Martin strode off into his office and slammed the door.

Things hadn't worked out as he had expected. He hadn't realised that they were not going to let him operate until he had completed a retraining course with some young whippersnapper who reminded him of that arse Adrian Pitts, and that even when he did start he would have to be shadowed at all times until they were satisfied that he really was cured of his blood phobia. 'Can't afford to take the chance, what with hospitals being sued these days,' Robert had said. Martin hated it, he wouldn't have taken the job if he'd realised – or would he, he'd been so anxious to get away from Portwenn - and Louisa.

The phone on his desk rang – he picked it up straight away.

"Mrs Norton for you, Mr Ellingham," his secretary informed him before putting her through.

"What is it, what's happening?" Martin demanded from Joan.

"And Good Morning to you too, Martin," said Joan.

"Yes, that too. Well?" asked Martin growing more impatient.

"I saw Louisa this morning, called by pretty early to make sure to catch her. She's OK, very fed up of course, said backache is keeping her awake a lot of the night. She has an appointment at the hospital this afternoon, she doesn't know if they will keep her in to be induced or not. Said she's fed up with everyone asking if she's had the baby yet, so that's why she has been switching her phone off. She said that when there's something to know, you will be informed in due course," Joan explained.

"Right well, thanks for that, Auntie Joan," said Martin. "You'll let me know….?"

"Yes of course, Bye for now," said Joan as she rang off.

That evening, Louisa sighed as her mobile phone rang. Martin. Again. She cancelled the call and switched her phone off. Her landline didn't work, it had been cut off when old man Routledge hadn't paid his bill, and she hadn't bothered to get it reconnected – not worth the expense when she had her mobile anyway.

She'd been disappointed at her hospital visit today, they'd decided to let her go home until Monday – today was Thursday – if nothing happened over the weekend, then she would go in on Monday to be induced.

Why did Martin have to keep ringing her, she thought to herself. He'd gone, left, moved away and was getting on with his life, so why couldn't he leave her alone to get on with hers? Last week when she had taken Martin's call, they 'd ended up arguing and rowing, as usual. They couldn't seem to have a civil conversation any more, he just seemed to criticize everything she did or said, and she had ended up very upset. She really didn't need that right now. She just needed to focus on getting through the next few days, never mind after that. If she was honest, she was petrified about giving birth, but this baby had to come out, if it ever decided it was time to make an appearance.

Early the next morning, Louisa was woken by a knock at her front door.

"Must be the postman with a package to sign for," she thought.

She heaved herself out of bed, and slowly made her way downstairs.

There was another impatient knock on the door.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming as fast as a beached whale can," she shouted down the stairs.

She opened the front door and nearly fainted with shock – standing at the door was Martin, with his usual cross expression on his face.

"W..What on earth are you doing here – has something happened to Joan?" she stammered, feeling her heart lurch as she looked at his familiar face.

"Why won't you take my calls Louisa? I only want to check that you're alright for God's sake, I think I'm entitled to know that," Martin demanded.

"I think you gave up any 'entitlement' when you moved away Martin, which is fine because you're getting on with your life – so just let me get on with mine, hmm? It was my choice to have this baby, not yours, I know that. Like I told Joan, I'll make sure you're informed when the time comes. She can pass on the news," Louisa told him, as she rubbed her back, trying to ease the pain.

"What did they say at the hospital? Joan said they might be keeping you in, so when I couldn't get hold of you, I thought…." said Martin.

Louisa gave a big sigh and said "You'd better come in, don't want the whole neighborhood listening to us rowing do we?" as she held the door open for him to step in.

"Sit down, I'll make a cup of tea, I don't really do coffee I'm afraid," said Louisa, pointing to her little kitchen table and chairs.

"So what happened at the hospital? How are you, any pains or signs?" demanded Martin, desperate to find something out at last.

When he hadn't been able to get hold of Louisa the previous evening, he just couldn't stand it any longer. At least when he lived in the village he could watch her from a distance, and it was always possible to find out how she was just from the village gossip, even if she wasn't talking to him. But in London, it was the 'not knowing' that was driving him nuts. In the end he thought 'sod it', rang Auntie Joan to say he was driving down and could he stay with her, told her he wouldn't be getting to her until about 1am so to leave the key in the usual place. Then he'd packed a few things, jumped in his car and driven through the evening. He'd left a message on his secretary's answering machine to say he had been called away on urgent family business. He'd been due to have another retraining session this morning with the Adrian Pitts clone, which he loathed. He'd passed Louisa's house on his way to Joan, and had been relieved to see her bedroom window open, meaning she was in and not in hospital. By then it was nearly one in the morning, and he didn't think she would appreciate a visitor at that time, so he had decided to call back to her house first thing in the morning.

"They decided to wait and see if anything happens over the weekend. They think my backache is a good sign, might be early labour, but I don't know - just seems like backache to me. Otherwise I go in on Monday to be induced. If that doesn't work, then it will have to be a caesarian," said Louisa as she made the tea. Then she paced up and down, sitting still was too uncomfortable.

Martin stared intently at her. It was August and it had been very hot at night, so Louisa was wearing just a thin flimsy nightie with a dressing gown slung over it but open. He couldn't take his eyes off her huge belly and swollen breasts. He didn't have to be a doctor to work out that she was ready to give birth at any moment.

Louisa saw Martin looking and realised that she wasn't wearing very much at all.

"Look, you drink your tea, I'll just go and get dressed, OK?" Louisa said, heading for the stairs and slowly making her way up.

"OK, but I still need to talk to you," said Martin.

"Great," thought Louisa, "More lecturing, no doubt."

As she got to the top of the stairs, and went towards the bathroom, she felt a funny sensation in her belly, and then felt something warm trickling down her legs.

"Oh God, _NO_, it can't be, not now," Louisa wailed.

"What is it Louisa, what's the matter?" Martin shouted as he rushed up the stairs.

"My waters have just gone," she said, feeling panicky, but then pulling herself together at the sight of Martin coming up the stairs.

"Are you sure?" asked Martin, realising it was a stupid question when he saw the state of her. "Oh right yes, well, umm"

"Look it's OK, just let me sort myself out, then I'm going to ring the Maternity Unit and see what they suggest I should do," Louisa said, trying to sound calmer than she felt. This must have been brought on by the shock of seeing Martin – trust him to have this affect on her.

Martin noticed that Louisa's hands were trembling as she rang the hospital.

"Yes, right, OK, yes, it's going to take me at least an hour to get there, so see you then," was the end of the conversation.

"Well, they think it would be a good idea for me to go in now even if the contractions haven't started as I'm quite a way from the hospital, and I'm a week overdue. Best ring for the taxi then. I've got an arrangement with Tommy's Taxis that he'd take me whatever time of day or night it was, as long as he's not already out," Louisa told Martin.

"Don't be stupid Louisa, I'll take you. It'll be much quicker than calling for a taxi," said Martin firmly. Privately he admitted to himself that he was scared. He'd left to avoid all this, but here he was, taking her to hospital after all. Well, hadn't he decided to come back, be a man and finally face up to his responsibilities instead of running away? He just hadn't had a chance to speak to Louisa about it all, and now events were taking over.

Louisa quickly weighed up her options – it was possible that Tommy would already be out, and she would rather get to the hospital than take a chance, so she said to Martin,

"OK well if you mean it, I need to take that bag by the door, and the baby seat – it's to bring the baby home in," she explained, making her way to the door, picking up her keys and handbag. "Come on then, I've locked up everything, so let's go."

Martin quickly put the things in his car as Louisa slowly walked up. He held the door open for her, but as she went to get in, she doubled over in pain and said,

"Ow,Ow, Oh God, the contractions have started! Ow, Ow," she groaned.

Martin looked at her in horror, then pulled himself together and said,

"Umm just remember your breathing exercises, I'm sure they'll help."

Louisa gave him a black look, then got into the car, once her contraction subsided.

As they drove to the hospital, Louisa's contractions got stronger and closer together. Martin kept looking over at her, he was timing them and they were now every 2 minutes.

"Just bloody drive Martin," Louisa snapped at him, when he told her how close together the contractions were. She was gripping the car dashboard for dear life.

They reached the hospital in record time. Martin didn't care how many speeding tickets he got, because he really didn't like the idea of Louisa giving birth in the car.

At the hospital, he parked right by the maternity entrance in the consultants' space, and rushed in to get a wheelchair, as Louisa was by now unable to walk more than a few paces.

"Hurry up Martin," yelled Louisa, as he reappeared.

He pushed her into the Maternity Unit reception area, where she shouted out her name to them.

"Ah yes, Louisa Glasson, we're expecting you, I'll just get the midwife," said the receptionist.

As the midwife appeared with her patient notes, Louisa shouted out,

"I want to push, NOW!"

"OK, OK let's get you in and see what's happening," said the midwife calmly. "Is this your birthing partner – your notes say you're not having one?"

"Change of plan," said Martin firmly, but swallowing hard.

The midwife looked at Louisa for confirmation.

"Yes I guess so, Oh God I need to push," Louisa screamed as another contraction hit.

In the delivery room, the Midwife confirmed that Louisa was fully dilated, and ready to push with her next contraction.

"I think you've been in slow labour for quite a while, that's what your backache was. Now that your waters have gone, it's all systems go!" she explained.

Martin stayed out of the midwife's way. He had only delivered one baby before, so thought it best to let the midwife carry on.

"You BASTARD Martin Ellingham, I HATE you, it's all YOUR fault, I wish I'd NEVER met you, you son of SATAN," Louisa screamed out in agony, holding onto Martin's hand so hard that he thought her nails must be drawing blood. He didn't dare complain, he was trying to ignore the torrent of abuse that was pouring out of Louisa's mouth – he knew she was in excruciating pain.

The midwife didn't turn a hair, she'd heard far worse over the years.

"Just put all that energy into pushing as hard as you can, the sooner you do, the sooner your baby will be out," she said calmly. "Come on now, I can see the head, big push now."

"I can't do this, I can't do it, it hurts too much, make it stop," Louisa whimpered.

"Yes you can, the harder you push, the quicker it will be over," Martin told her, trying be encouraging.

"YOU try pushing a baby out of your privates, Mr Know-It-All," Louisa snarled at Martin.

Another contraction hit, and the midwife told her,

"Come on really big push, good girl, keep it coming, that's it the heads out!"

Then the midwife's voice changed.

"Hold on Louisa, the cord is round baby's neck, this is very important, don't push for a moment, just pant."

"I have to," moaned Louisa "I can't help it."

"Pant, Louisa, little breaths, this is really important." said Martin, realising the danger.

He looked down and saw with relief that the midwife had managed to slip the cord over the baby's head.

"OK Louisa, push away, baby should be out with your next contraction," said the midwife.

Louisa groaned loudly, as the baby finally slid out.

"There we are, well done, it's a boy!" said the midwife, holding him up for Louisa to see, but then quickly cutting the chord and rushing him over to the special resuscitation unit on the side.

Martin could see the baby was very blue and not moving or crying. The midwife was rubbing him with a towel to stimulate him, and pumping oxygen into him with a little face mask.

"Come on, little man, come on," she pleaded with him.

"Why isn't he crying, Martin? What's wrong?" Louisa cried out.

Just as Martin leapt up to go and help, they heard a splutter and cry, as their baby took his first indignant breath. He moved his arms and legs in protest at his arrival into the world.

"There you are, he's fine now," said the midwife, quickly wrapping him and passing him to Louisa.

Martin looked down at the bundle. His little screwed up face carried on crying, and he was getting pinker by the second.

Later on, when things had calmed down, Louisa shamefacedly apologised to Martin as she gently cradled the baby.

"I'm sorry for all the things I shouted at you, I didn't mean any of it."

"Don't worry, I wasn't really listening anyway," Martin told her gently.

"I'm glad you were here," Louisa smiled at him.

"Me too. Can't believe I nearly wasn't. I've been a fool, Louisa,." Martin told her.

"Well, never mind all that now. So, how long can you stay before you have to get back to London," Louisa asked him, needing to know.

"I'm not going back. To quote a phrase of yours 'they can poke their ruddy job where the sun don't shine'. I'm coming back to Cornwall," said Martin to a speechless Louisa.

He was coming home.


End file.
